How To Do Your Portfolio

Decorating By teddy0826 Updated 15 Jun 2011 , 12:10pm by SarahBeth3

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teddy0826 Posted 14 Jun 2011 , 5:42pm
post #1 of 15

Hey everyone, I would like to make my portfolio in case someday I would like to work outside the home. What do most of you do when a decorator askes for yours? Do you have a photo album? any suggestions? Thanks

14 replies
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AnotherCaker Posted 14 Jun 2011 , 5:47pm
post #2 of 15

When a decorator asks another decorator for theirs? Is that what you mean? I don't get it. Most professionals hav a gallery on their websites, Flickr accounts, Facebook, Photobucket, etc. etc. I'm sure some people probably still 3 ring binders as well. Start saving photos of your work, that's about all you can do. And make dummy cakes.

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Kitagrl Posted 14 Jun 2011 , 6:00pm
post #3 of 15

I like to wait for sales on the photo books from like Snapfish or Picaboo, and then order those. They look pretty professional! I try to order new ones, with newer cakes, 1-2 times per year as well.

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AnotherCaker Posted 14 Jun 2011 , 6:02pm
post #4 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kitagrl

I like to wait for sales on the photo books from like Snapfish or Picaboo, and then order those. They look pretty professional! I try to order new ones, with newer cakes, 1-2 times per year as well.


Yeah, those are great for bridal shows!

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Kitagrl Posted 14 Jun 2011 , 6:06pm
post #5 of 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnotherCaker

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kitagrl

I like to wait for sales on the photo books from like Snapfish or Picaboo, and then order those. They look pretty professional! I try to order new ones, with newer cakes, 1-2 times per year as well.

Yeah, those are great for bridal shows!




I take them to tastings as well (I have tastings at a coffee shop) and that way its sort of an ice breaker...I hand them my book and a couple magazines I've been published in, and they can look through things as we both kind of gather our thoughts to get ready to discuss their cake.

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GarciaGM Posted 14 Jun 2011 , 6:18pm
post #6 of 15

Great ideas guys!! I knew those Snapfish album deals were good for something, but I didn't know what, and now I do!!

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cakedout Posted 14 Jun 2011 , 6:57pm
post #7 of 15

Well, "back in my day".... LOL icon_lol.gif I printed out my best photos of cakes in either 5x7 or 8x10 and put them in a good quality photo album (mine are in Creative Memories books).

Although I like to 'scrapbook', I didn't do much embellishment on each page so as not to distract from the photo. Less is best.

Also, I would suggest only 1 or 2 pics per page. Again, Less is Best. A page with too many cake pics is just too overwhelming for a bride...and will ultimately just be passed over.

One cake friend of mine had a caption under each photo in her book, giving the cake sizes shown and the number of servings.

You can organize your cakes in a variety of ways...style, shape, event, etc.


HTH

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crisseyann Posted 14 Jun 2011 , 7:06pm
post #8 of 15

I also use Snapfish when they have their deals.

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indydebi Posted 14 Jun 2011 , 7:08pm
post #9 of 15

Let me join the "back in my day" crowd! icon_biggrin.gif

I have pics on flickr, my website and facebook, but nothing beats an actual book that brides can flip thru during their appt. You can't put post-it notes on a flickr page; you can't bookmark a facebook photo.

for bridal shows, I had all of my photos on a powerpoint presentation that ran during the show. If I had just a book, then ONE bride monopolizes the book, but a powerpoint can be seen by anyone standing in the booth.

I had 2 books. 3 ring binders. Photos were all in those plastic sleeves. One book clearly labeled "Internet photos" and one clearly labeled as cakes made by me. One, no more than two, photos per page and when I did have 2 photos per page, the cakes were very similar (i.e. the same cake in two different colors; or two cakes with red ribbon and red roses). with the photos being in plastic sleeves, it was easy to pull out the ones that the bride considered a 'maybe' to lay them side by side for comparison.

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Cindy619 Posted 14 Jun 2011 , 7:23pm
post #10 of 15

I get mine from Winkflash - they have some really great deals.

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MissLisa Posted 14 Jun 2011 , 7:29pm
post #11 of 15

Here's a link to a Groupon offer today for MixBook. They did a fantastic job on my photo book. I'm posting at 3:30pm (Eastern Time) and there are 8 hours left to make your purchase.

http://www.groupon.com/deals/mixbook-ann-arbor?utm_campaign=UserReferral&utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=uu14755108

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Erdica Posted 14 Jun 2011 , 8:58pm
post #12 of 15

I have pictures up on the website as well as our Facebook site. But for appointments, I have a portfolio I did on Microsoft Publisher. I saved it to a flash drive and took it to Fedex/Kinkos and had them print it out in high quality color and with good paper. Then had them spiral bind it. Cost about $15 but it was worth it to have something clients can look at. Sometimes you are some place that you can't whip open a laptop to show them the website or FB page.

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SarahBeth3 Posted 14 Jun 2011 , 9:16pm
post #13 of 15

I've thought about when I do mine "someday" too, and I would like to do it in 12"x12" scrapbook style. Not only would it be fun to make, but I think it would like nice as long as I keep it simple. I plan to have a 5x7 of the cake, and then 2 or 3 smaller photos, like wallet size of close-ups and details on each page with a little note on the size of that cake and how many it will serve...so they can get an idea. I'll probably change my mind several times before I actually get to the point where I will make it. Right now I just use Facebook.

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jenmat Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 1:39am
post #14 of 15

So I'm working on this right now because my portfolio has gotten pretty beat up during this tasting season.
What do ya'll think about putting a portfolio on an Ipad? Then they can zoom in on details, and I think you can bookmark photos to go back and look at the ones you want without running out of fingers!

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SarahBeth3 Posted 15 Jun 2011 , 12:10pm
post #15 of 15

That sounds like a great idea, jenmat! I think it would work really well and be so much less bulky than a laptop (or even a 12'x12' scrapbook. icon_wink.gif )

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